High Speed, Wrong Way Pursuit Ends in Crash on I-25

Guns. Drugs. Thousands of dollars in electronics and other items burglarized from an occupied business. A high-speed, wrong-way pursuit exceeding 120 miles per hour in a stolen SUV. And ultimately a crash.

This may sound like the plot to a Hollywood action film, but in reality was taking place in small town Truth or Consequences beginning before 8:30 in the morning last Friday.

Officials with the Truth or Consequences Police Department (TCPD) had their hands full Friday morning, Nov. 14, due to two males from Silver City – later identified as 43-year-old Joseph Mays and 16-year-old Carlos Rosales, according to documents filed in Seventh Judicial District Court on Monday, Nov. 17.

In his affidavit for search warrant, TCPD Detective George Lee described the events that led to the arrest of Mr. Mays, who is the subject of a $20,000 cash-only warrant, and has officials seeking the whereabouts of Rosales, who was considered dangerous and possibly armed on Friday.

Just before 8:30 a.m., Friday, Nov. 14, TCPD Officer Justin Blacklock responded to a complaint of shoplifting taking place at Walmart. Dispatch operators told Officer Blacklock that a man with long hair was breaking into a secured electronic goods case located within the retail store.

As information trickled in to Dispatch operators from a number of callers at a handful of locations, and that information was ultimately relayed to Officer Blacklock, the suspect managed to stay one step ahead of authorities for a time. Information regarding the suspect vehicle – “a newer model black Dodge Durango” – and a direction of travel (southbound on North Date Street), allowed Officer Blacklock to close in.

Moments after receiving this information, Officer Blacklock was traveling southbound on North Date Street and saw the black SUV traveling northbound. As Blacklock turned around and attempted to catch up to the Durango, the SUV accelerated rapidly.

Due to the construction taking place on the presently closed bridge spanning Interstate 25 at Exit 79, the black Durango sped southbound on the northbound exit ramp, and entered northbound I-25 heading south towards Williamsburg with Officer Blacklock in pursuit, emergency equipment engaged.

Meanwhile, TCPD Officer Ted Ontiveros broadcast over the emergency airwaves that there was a second suspect involved in the theft at Walmart.

Detective Lee on Monday told The Herald that the speeding Durango crossed the median, leaving the northbound lanes for the southbound lanes at a high rate of speed. Officer Blacklock stated that the fleeing SUV reached speeds of 125 miles per hour.

At Exit 75, the black SUV attempted to exit the interstate into Williamsburg, however was reportedly traveling too fast for the hairpin turn of the southbound exit ramp. The Durango left the roadway, according to documents obtained by The Herald, and struck a road sign. The black SUV then crashed in the desert located south of the Williamsburg exit.

Officer Blacklock stopped his patrol unit and saw a young male wearing a white shirt and dark jeans running from the scene of the crash. Blacklock stopped to check the Durango for any injured passengers and found no one inside the crashed vehicle.

Detectives Lee and James Harrington arrived at the scene of the crash and spoke to Officer Blacklock and Sgt. Michael Apodaca, who informed the detectives of the presence of several computers inside the wrecked vehicle.

Inside the SUV, Detective Harrington located several hypodermic syringes.

Officials from several law enforcement agencies joined the TCPD detectives in attempting to locate the driver of the black Durango, later identified as Carlos Rosales. During their search, authorities learned that the SUV had been reported stolen out of Denver, Colo.

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